Road Rage/stupid drivers

[Lil_G]

I'm driving home from town yesterday, as I begin to catch up to the car ahead of me I notice there's a slow-moving vechicle which is causing to form a line. In fact, this car which is 3 ahead of me is driving 10 clicks (kilometers, this is ontario remember) below the speed limit. On this particular road there are not many opportunities to pass which incites other drivers to take unnecessary risks.

While i'm thinking about this, the car ahead of me floors on the gas and goes for a double pass just before hitting a wide turn -concealing the truck coming around the corner. I'm not sure exactly how this driver managed to leap frog both without causing a 10 car pileup but she did.

So who's more at fault here? The first car (who is from new york and obviously not sure where he or she is going) who's going a lot slower than the speed of traffic on the road? Or the car in front of me who took a huge gamble that may have gotten her 1 minute or 2 quicker to her destination?

Does anyone else want to share some anecdotes of stupid drivers or funny things you've seen on the road.

[ZTAngel]

It was the driver who passed fault but I find it so irritating to be in back of someone who is going way under the speed limit. My favorite is on the highways when they are going 15 miles under in the left lane!
Last night, on my way home from work, I experienced one of the worst. I was with one of friends who I carpool with to work. We were on 417 Greenway in Orlando, Florida which happens to be a busy road. Also, there's like a million and four tolls on that road. But, there's always a warning such as "Toll booth: 1 mile. 75 cents." The exact change lane is supposed to be the fast lane. I pulled into that lane only to be held up by some woman in a Jeep. She had been sitting there way before I had gotten there. I couldn't even see the top of her head. It looked as if she was looking under the seat for something. I waited patiently for a minute. Then, I grew very agitated. She threw in a dime. She then went and looked through the back seat of the car. Now, people, if you obviously don't have the change, DON'T GO INTO THE EXPRESS LANE!!! Or, before you pull up to the toll, make sure the exact change is in the palm of your hands. So, I started beeping at her. For over five minutes I was stuck behind this moron. Cars were building up in back of me. People were shouting obscenities at her. I screamed, "If you don't have the change, just go! Don't hold up the line!" She threw in a quarter. 40 cents to go. She went into her trunk. My friend got out of my car and walked up to her. I was telling him to get back in. He screamed at her, "You idiot! Go! No one wants to wait for your dumbass!" She got so scared that she jumped into the drivers seat and sped off. I drove for a half a mile when I caught up with her. My friend opened up his window and threw the rest of his McDonald's cheeseburger at the driver's window. I could've killed him bc if a police officer saw that I would've been the one to get in trouble. Needless to say, she turned off at the very next exit. So, there's a story that has a stupid driver and someone with road rage all in one.

[Miami1839]

I run into crazy drivers every day on my commute to work LOL. I travel an hour and a half every day. I take I95 to 495 in Virginia where I get off at Tysons Corner. Well, on the way back getting of 495 theres this interchange at Springfield. Put this way, its a big mess during rush hour because theres always construction going on, you have truckers that are complete morons, drivers that act like their in a firecracker 400 and then you have others that basically just sit there. This is when I'm trying to merge from 495 to I95(North/South Hwy) from NY to Florida. One thing that sticks out in my mind is when I was in traffic that was at a stand still for miles. The traffic starts to roll and then stops after a few feet. Well, this lady who cant be younger than 90 comes up to right of me after being behind me and does this circular motion with her hands. Like she was saying to hurry it up. I was looking at her like what is your problem *L* I'd say the main problem on I95 are the people who merge when they shouldnt or follow to closely to the next car and then slam on their breaks in the fast lane. Its definitely a battle I must say, but my work makes it worth my while so I guess I'll put it up with it for now.

FYI: To all the DZs. Sometimes on my trip back from work I take an alternate route through Fairfax/Clifton. Well, theres is one road that is "turtle valley" and I thought it was kind of cute. Ha ha.

[This message has been edited by Miami1839 (edited July 28, 2001).]

[LeslieAGD]

I really believe people should have a camera in their cars which focuses on the road, and if you drive like a MORON, you get your license taken away.

[Lil_G]

ZT Angel hahahah nice story, maybe it's a guy thing I don't know, there's been times when i've wanted to throw stuff at other cars.

Holy deja vue - driving back on the same road, another stupid idiot passed a guy going over a hill? jezz, it's a miracle there aren't more accidents on that road.

[Kevlar281]

The driver who passed, everyone knows you don’t pass another car on a blind curve.

[Hootie]

I will admit that I have a slight case of road rage...especially when I'm in a hurry and people are just stupid drivers and make my commute that much longer.
Probably the worse thing that has happened to me occurred on the Interstate. It was about a month ago and I was following my then boyfriend home from his work. The speed limit on the interstate is like 60 but everyone goes well above. I tend to stick to the 5-above the speed limit rule...so I was going about 65 maybe pushing 70. I was in the far right lane and this chick in a sporty red car started approaching behind me at enormous speeds. I thought to myself, I'll try to speed up so she can pass me. But no...she got so damn close I thought she was going to plow right into me. It wouldn't have been so irritating if she didn't then proceed to tailgate me for the remainder of the trip. Then, everytime I changed lanes she did too. Finally she changed into another lane, cut me off and then tailgated my boyfriend's car. He's an aggressive driver so he started just speeding more and more and she kept up right with him. I just wish she would have hit my car so it would have been her fault for following too close...plus then she would have learned a lesson.

[KillarneyRose]

A couple of years ago, I was returning to Annapolis from Pittsburgh with my (then) 11 month daughter. It had been a LONG trip and all I wanted to do was get home but I spent about the last 5 miles of the trip behind a car that was going 10 miles under the speed limit. I was so frustrated! Finally, about a mile from my house there was a place where I could pull into the other lane and pass this moron so I did it and wouldn't luck have it that a county police cruiser was heading the other way and pulled me over because apparently no passing was allowed there. UGH!!! So, not only did I get pulled over, but I'm certain that the moron in the slow car probablly got a kick out of seeing that happen Luckily, the officer was very nice and didn't give me a ticket.

------------------
@~Tracy~@

By the light of the lamp, by the light of the lamp, by the bright shiny light, by the light of the lamp...if you are a DeeZee, you're the best that you can be, by the bright shiny light of the lamp!

[Lil_G]

I'm not sure about you guys, but i'm feeling a theraputic sense of relief hearing these stories.

So tonight on my short drive to Ottawa I take highway 401 and then 417. The 401, is the most used highway in Canada. It travels from all of Southern Ontario into Western Quebec. Although the speed limit is 100 kilos/hr. (ahh i geuss that's about 60 miles an hour), everyone else goes about 120/125.

Well, I don't know if they raised the speed limit without telling me or something because everyone was driving much faster than usual, averaging about 135 kilometers an hour. On top of that there were all kinds of lunatics weaving in and out of lanes like those guys on "Wild Police Chases".
----> stupid driver(s) story

So on the way back driving at night I was setting the pace, going faster than most cars out there. As i'm passing one car after another, this new yorker - who flashes on his highbeams whenever someone passes - does the same to me and starts to tail gate. I'm like you jackass, so I switched lanes and slide behind him and gave him a test of his own medicine.
----> road rage (mine and his) story

[aephi alum]

OMG I could tell you such stories. Let me tell you that Connecticut drivers are THE WORST. They either go too fast or too slow. I was once stuck behind some idiot in driver's ed who was doing 25mph in a 40mph zone. OK, the kid was scared, but a good driving instructor will tell him to pull over once in a while and let folks who actually *know* how to drive get where they're going. Well, he didn't, and on top of that, the idiot behind him WOULD NOT PASS!! I wound up passing both cars... had plenty of time in the passing zone b/c the kid with the permit was just going so slowly. But the car just ahead of me passed on a blind curve... and missed the oncoming car by about 3 millimeters... ouch!!!

[SSS1365]

Originally posted by Miami1839:
I take I95 to 495 in Virginia where I get off at Tysons Corner. Well, on the way back getting of 495 theres this interchange at Springfield. Put this way, its a big mess during rush hour because theres always construction going on, you have truckers that are complete morons, drivers that act like their in a firecracker 400 and then you have others that basically just sit there.

GRRR I HATE the Springfield interchange! I absolutely hate how, when you're getting onto I95 from I495, you immediately have to get over 3 lanes because all 3 of the right lanes are EXIT ONLY. You have to do this while people are trying to move to the right so they can get their exit. I fear for my life there... I really do. And then once you're on without getting hit, you get the morons who slam on their brakes all the time, and if there's an accident, you'll be there forever. Why? Because everyone drives 2 mph so they can see it. I am usually there in Fairfax to see my boyfriend and/or my roommate who both live not too far off of 123, so I usually just try to take 123 out to I95, which lets me avoid that whole mess.

[SSS1365]

Ok, I know most people on here have never driven in northern VA, but this can apply to other places too

Rules for Driving in Northern Virginia
1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A real Northern VA driver never uses them.
2. Under no circumstances should you leave a safe distance between you and he car in front of you, or the space will be filled in
by somebody else putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
3. Crossing two or more lanes in a single lane change is considered going with the flow.
4. The faster you drive through a red light, the smaller the chance you have of getting hit.
5. Never, ever come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No
one expects it and it will inevitably result in you being rear-ended. If you want
your insurance company to pay for a new rear bumper, come to a complete stop at all stop signs.
6. A right lane construction closure is just a game to see how many people can cut in line by passing you on the right as you
sit in the left lane waiting for the same jerks to squeeze their way back in before hitting the orange and white barricades.
7. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a nice, relaxing foot massage as
the brake pedal pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it's a chance to stretch your legs.
8. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It's a good way to scare people entering the highway.
9. Speed limits are arbitrary figures, given only as suggestions and are apparently not enforceable in the Northern VA area
during rush hour.
10. Just because you're in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that a Northern VA driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.
11. Please remember that there is no such thing as a shortcut during rush-hour traffic in Northern VA.
12. Always slow down and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire.
13. Learn to swerve abruptly. Northern VA is the home of high-speed slalom driving thanks to the VDOT, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them on their toes.
14. It is traditional in Northern VA to honk your horn at cars that don't move the instant the light changes.
15. Never take a green light at face value. Always look right and left before proceeding.
16. Remember that the goal of every Northern VA driver is to get there first, by whatever means necessary.
17. Real Northern VA female drivers can put on pantyhose and apply eye makeup at seventy-five miles per hour or in bumper-to-bumper
traffic.
18. Real Northern VA male drivers can remove their girlfriend's panties and bra at seventy-five miles per hour or in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
19. In the Northern VA area flipping someone the bird is
considered a
> > Virginia salute. This gesture should always be returned.
> >
> > 20. When emergency vehicles have the right of way, do not
move to the
> > right and slow down. Instead come to an abrupt stop (see
rule 7) or
speed
> > up
> > (because the emergency vehicle behind you will clear a path)
or
tailgate
> > the emergency vehicle (this action will also clear you a
path).

[Miami1839]

SSS1365:

All of these rules are right on. Sad, but true LOL

Kevin

Originally posted by SSS1365:
Ok, I know most people on here have never driven in northern VA, but this can apply to other places too

Rules for Driving in Northern Virginia
1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A real Northern VA driver never uses them.
2. Under no circumstances should you leave a safe distance between you and he car in front of you, or the space will be filled in
by somebody else putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
3. Crossing two or more lanes in a single lane change is considered going with the flow.
4. The faster you drive through a red light, the smaller the chance you have of getting hit.
5. Never, ever come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No
one expects it and it will inevitably result in you being rear-ended. If you want
your insurance company to pay for a new rear bumper, come to a complete stop at all stop signs.
6. A right lane construction closure is just a game to see how many people can cut in line by passing you on the right as you
sit in the left lane waiting for the same jerks to squeeze their way back in before hitting the orange and white barricades.
7. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a nice, relaxing foot massage as
the brake pedal pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it's a chance to stretch your legs.
8. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It's a good way to scare people entering the highway.
9. Speed limits are arbitrary figures, given only as suggestions and are apparently not enforceable in the Northern VA area
during rush hour.
10. Just because you're in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that a Northern VA driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.
11. Please remember that there is no such thing as a shortcut during rush-hour traffic in Northern VA.
12. Always slow down and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire.
13. Learn to swerve abruptly. Northern VA is the home of high-speed slalom driving thanks to the VDOT, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them on their toes.
14. It is traditional in Northern VA to honk your horn at cars that don't move the instant the light changes.
15. Never take a green light at face value. Always look right and left before proceeding.
16. Remember that the goal of every Northern VA driver is to get there first, by whatever means necessary.
17. Real Northern VA female drivers can put on pantyhose and apply eye makeup at seventy-five miles per hour or in bumper-to-bumper
traffic.
18. Real Northern VA male drivers can remove their girlfriend's panties and bra at seventy-five miles per hour or in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
19. In the Northern VA area flipping someone the bird is
considered a
> > Virginia salute. This gesture should always be returned.
> >
> > 20. When emergency vehicles have the right of way, do not
move to the
> > right and slow down. Instead come to an abrupt stop (see
rule 7) or
speed
> > up
> > (because the emergency vehicle behind you will clear a path)
or
tailgate
> > the emergency vehicle (this action will also clear you a
path).

[Miami1839]

Thats cool you have a route that makes things easier. I hear ya on Springfield. Its the worst, but I deal with it. LOL Sometimes I take Gallows to Braddock to 123 to Clifton going south and it makes things less hectic and pretty scenic too. Not necessarily faster though.


Tracy,

I wouldnt say theres any place I wouldnt want to drive but I think Virginia is much better than California to drive. I've only driven in Northern Calif though so imagine anything south of San Fran is worse. Also, I think the road signs/road system in Pennsylvania is so screwed up. Thats probably second on my list of places not to drive.


Kevin

Originally posted by Miami1839:
I take I95 to 495 in Virginia where I get off at Tysons Corner. Well, on the way back getting of 495 theres this interchange at Springfield. Put this way, its a big mess during rush hour because theres always construction going on, you have truckers that are complete morons, drivers that act like their in a firecracker 400 and then you have others that basically just sit there.

GRRR I HATE the Springfield interchange! I absolutely hate how, when you're getting onto I95 from I495, you immediately have to get over 3 lanes because all 3 of the right lanes are EXIT ONLY. You have to do this while people are trying to move to the right so they can get their exit. I fear for my life there... I really do. And then once you're on without getting hit, you get the morons who slam on their brakes all the time, and if there's an accident, you'll be there forever. Why? Because everyone drives 2 mph so they can see it. I am usually there in Fairfax to see my boyfriend and/or my roommate who both live not too far off of 123, so I usually just try to take 123 out to I95, which lets me avoid that whole mess.

[aephi alum]

SSS1365 - That is sooo true! I used to work in Fairfax and saw some of the craziest stuff. I had lots of fun pitting my driving skills against them - I learned to drive in New York City and spent several years living in Boston. For the most part they didn't know what hit 'em (figuratively speaking, of course!)

The only place I refuse to drive (in the US) is Manhattan. I can handle the FDR Drive etc, but I flat out refuse to drive on the avenues/streets themselves. Leave it to the cabbies